Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead South Africa

Ministry in Qonce, South Africa

April – June 2024

Rest (IsiXhosa:Ukuphumla; Afrikaans:Rus)

Hebrews 4:9-10 (NASB) “⁹ Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.”

Hello Family, Friends, and Ministry Partners:

Greetings to all of you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The winter season is here. It is the end of June, and all schools are on the midyear school holiday in Qonce, South Africa.  The winter is a time when nature sleeps and the Lord has been teaching me about sabbath rest.  He has brought to my mind the scriptures in Hebrews 4:9-10 (NASB) “Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.”   God has rested from His works. Jesus finished the work of the Father on the cross and is seated at the right hand of the Father. I can have access to both God’s work and His rest. I can take time to rest from the work knowing that God, my Father also rested. He is showing me how to do his work in Him and how to rest in Him.

Why do I not rest? I keep trying to do the work of the Lord to the best of my ability. My logical mind says there is so much to get done. Planning meetings with the partners, many more village school visitations to complete and tutoring my Teleios Christian School students in preparation for final exams in December 2024. I am also planning my schedule to see all of you, my partners, in 2025, when I am on home assignment. This last year in South Africa is quickly coming to an end and there is still so much to do.

In all this, “doing of the work”, God is telling me to rest in Him. Don’t get ahead of His Holy Spirit, who is doing the work through me.  Rest because the work is finished in Jesus. He is the Savior of all the men, women, boys and girls when the gospel is preached in words and in deeds. I must follow the example of Jesus and get a way to pray and rest in the Father.  He is producing the lasting fruit of His labor. I thank the Lord for this new revelation of His word.

Below are remarks from two members of my first short-term mission team, Dr. Sandra Mitchell Tunstill and Myrriam Cardinal. They along with Millicent Wirt visited Qonce, South Africa to see God’s ministry in South Africa.

Sandra Tunstill with Teleios Christian School Teacher

Myrriam Cardinal given a Xhosa Doek by the Border Baptist Women

Missionary Work in Qonce, South Africa:

A New Question

By Dr. Sandra Mitchell Tunstill

My short-term missionary experience, in Qonce, South Africa, was amazing to say the least. I felt that my ministry gifts, both tangible and intangible, were minuscule.  Yet, individuals from the churches and the educational communities seemed to feel that what I had to offer them was enormous. I felt very humbled, because of the gratitude that they expressed to me. While my goal there was to minister to others, I received far more than I gave. I had the opportunity to witness Christian leaders, who oversaw extremely large ministries.  As a matter of fact, these leaders had the responsibility of ministering to their own families, their local churches and the community at large. They truly confirmed the words of our Lord who said that “you will be witnesses in Judea, Jerusalem, Samaria and the utter most parts of the world.” These leaders presented a powerful testimony to me. Little did I know, at the conclusion of my time in Qonce, that I would ask the Lord, “what more would you have for me to do?”

STM King William’s Town (Qonce) South Africa

By Myrriam Cardinal

God is working in South Africa. We didn’t bring God in that place; God was already there.  For the next 30 days- we were to be open to however God wanted to use us. The Lord used me to teach mostly ladies some first aid knowledge and speak a few times words of encouragement from scripture.  I was blessed and inspired by the faith of the believers we connected with daily, despite impoverished surroundings. They prayed. They sang songs of praise to God. They had joy despite the many challenges they faced.  Although I was thousands of miles away from family and friends and despite the language barrier, I felt I was at home with brothers and sisters in Christ. I thank God that we were able to finally see and experience a glimpse of the joy and struggles of the ministry that God called Faye to be in. Truly, God is working in South Africa.”

Ministry Highlights

• The 6th Grade class used leaves and dry grass to create their artwork. (See the photo above)
• During Global Encounter, the 210^th Anniversary Celebration of International Ministries, students and teachers were provided with snacks during the celebration. South Africa’s ministry partners sent congratulations to  International Ministries

• Partners from my home church, Trinity Baptist of Los Angeles, provided scholarship opportunity for six ladies to attend the Baptist Union Women’s Ministry Network’s Annual Reload Conference 2024. The theme was “Shoes of the Gospel “, and the scripture was Ephesians 6:15
  

  Women’s Ministry Network President Ellah Mohlala-Ndlovu with ladies who attended the Reload Conference 2024

  

  Hidden Treasures Shop Ministry Celebrating 21 Years Anniversary. These shops provide jobs and fund scholarships for the shop’s local area.

• You, my ministry partners, helped to provide breakfast for the volunteers preparing for Bethany Emmanuel Baptist Church Holiday Club 2024. Holiday Club in the USA is called Vacation Bible School. This year I worked as part of the kitchen staff. I answered questions about being a missionary and took part in one Bible Story module. Theme: Ignite, scripture 2^nd Timothy 1:6-7
  

  Holiday Club 2024 Teams: Hikers and Campers

  

  Missions

  

  Holiday Club Pajama Day

  

  Kitchen Crew

• International Ministries missionaries, the Trout family and Carmella Jones gave video messages to our Holiday Club Children ages 6-13. Our Mission Engagement Director, Jeni Pedzinski, also provided a video message to our Holiday Club Children. Who knows, some of International Ministries future missionaries may come from Holiday Club 2024.
• Partner donations provided one of the village churches, Bethel Baptist Church, through their pastor, Tembani Zani, to send youth to the Border Baptist Youth Rally.
• I will be attending International Ministries All Staff Gathering on July 8-13, 2024
• I am preparing to start my home assignment in January 2025, and I will be coming home for Christmas 2024.
• I also will be returning to South Africa in January 2026 if the Lord spears my life and continues to lead me in ministry in Qonce, South Africa.

Praise Report:

• I am still waiting for my new three-year visa, but I have been granted an extension on the old visa because I have proof of payment for the new visa.
• One of my after-school learners started at a new school and is doing well. I let the parents know that I was still available to support the learner.
• Supporting in prayer Pastor Tembani Zani of Bethel Baptist Church. Pastor Zani attended a Prayer Vigil at Forbes Grant High School for a student who had committed suicide, and six young people gave their life to Christ during the prayer vigil. Forbes Grant is a public High School.

Prayer Requests:

• Teleios Christian School Ministry and Busy Bee Preschool – Learners, their families, Principal, Assistant Principal, Teachers, Teacher Aids, and Custodians
• Extended Village School Ministry – Seven adopted schools Jityaza Combined Primary School, Forbes Grant High School, Ginsberg Preschool, Breidbach High School, Breidbach Primary School, and Breidbach Preschool– Collaborating with the students and administrators.
• God will continue to show me ways to help learners and that I show them the love of Jesus.
• Bethany Emmanuel Baptist Church (Pastor Reuben Ihlenfeldt) and Project Dorcas Women’s Vocational Training Program
• Extended ministry outreach to two village churches, Calvary Baptist in Breidbach Township (Pastor Abdul Ohlson) and Bethel Baptist Church (Pastor Tembani Zani) in Ginsberg Township.
• Special Education teachers to help train the teachers at Teleios Christian school and at the village schools.
• Outreach ministry at SINAKO vocational training school for the blind and disable.
• Xhosa Language – Better pronunciation and speaking with boldness.
• Simple Afrikaans greeting as I visit some churches with only mixed-race congregation. The Google App helps to pronounce Afrikaans words and translates Afrikaans words as people are speaking.
• The ministry of letting Christ be known through Math and Science tutoring at Teleios Christian School and surrounding village schools.
• Pray for my family and MPT Agape.Our recognizing that God has brought us together to be a witness for Christ in the lives of children in South Africa as well as in your local area in the United StatesPartners’ and ‘friends’ specific prayer requests (Please email me, I love hearing from you, praying for your specific needs and hearing your praise reports.)Missionary families, especially those with children.
• My sending organization International Ministries.
• Friends, family, and ministry partners thank you for your financial and spiritual support. You all have sustained and covered me with prayers.“Enkosi kakhulu, ndiyabulela.” (Thank you very much, I am grateful.)God bless and keep you all,Faye Carol

  Global Servant

  Qonce, South Africa

  Contact Email: fyarbrough@internationalministries.org

  https://www.internationalministries.org/author/faye-yarbrough/

  https://www.facebook.com/FayeCarolFullSTEMAhead

  https://www.instagram.com/fayecarolfullstemahead

  https://mobile.twitter.com/Fayestem